By Crestina Chavez
News 8 Austin
January 25, 2008
http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=198820
It took him 37 years. But it could be said that it was Father James Misko's calling to become a man of faith.
"God's call is stronger than anything in this world can offer. He'll get ya at some point in the game," Father James said. "That's what happened to me when I was 30."
A lot has happened since then.
Whether it was working towards becoming a professional baseball player, dabbling in sportscast journalism at a local TV station, or spending years working at Macaroni Grill, there was always something on his mind.
"All the while, I was thinking about being a priest," he said.
So he became a priest in seven years.
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| Father James is a priest at Saint Elizabeth. |
That's how long a priest must spend at a seminary before they're ordained.
Father James received his sacrament in June of last year. Now he's a priest at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Pflugerville.
"I had that experience in the business world, experience in dealing with relationships, dealing with different personalities, learning about people's lives, and what it means to earn a paycheck," Father James said.
He visited with classes at St. Theresa's during Vocation Awareness Week.
"I personally enjoyed how these youngsters did my job for me, asking the real tough questions," he said.
The Catholic Church was associated with scandal and controversy in 2002, when reports of sexual abuse within the church led to regulations worldwide.
So why would someone want to join the priesthood in light of those allegations?
"It just encourages me, to be a better priest, to be a holier priest, to be someone who is there for the people, and to be someone who can be trusted, someone who is good with children," he said.
Father James gave up the chance to have his own children when he became a priest.
"It's really not that lonely. There are 25,000 families in my parish in Pflugerville and there's always someone to talk to," he added.
James compared his relationship with the church to that of a loving, holy union with another person.
"It was just like I got married to the church, so in fact, you can say that I am married," he said.
He has a quick wit that makes him seem so down-to-earth and confident that you're in the company of a good friend.
He loves to play golf, ride his bike, and watch Longhorn football.
Above all, Father James said he wants to be a role model.
"I want people to be able to look up onto that altar and say, 'Wow! This is just a regular guy. I want to follow in his footsteps,'" he said. "That's what a priest is supposed to be, a father of a family."
Along his journey, Father James found out it's never too late to become a priest.
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